Barrel for orchestrions and similar musical instruments.



P. LGHMANN. BARREL FOR ORUHESTRIONS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 190s.

921,548, Patented May 11, 1909.

M'fmffff.' .fm/@212er UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

PAUL LOCHMANN, OF ZEULENRODA, GERMANY.

:BARREL FOR ORCHESTRIONS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, PAUL LOCHMANN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Zeulenroda, Thringen, Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in Barrels for Orchestrions and Similar Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specication.

The actuation of orchestrions and similar musical instruments is eifected by barrels in which the notation is made by depressions or holes in the wall of the barrel. These perforated barrels require a large circumference as also a large radius to play pieces of music of any length. As the diameter increases the weight of the perforated barrel correspondingly increases. The resistance to the motive power which actuates the barrel is likee wise increased since all the levers bear with a certain spring pressure upon the periphery of the barrel. To avoid all these diliiculties according to this invention the perforated barrel is formed as a hollow body which is supported in the interior by a driving roller into h depression of which the playing levers This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which* Figure 1 is a front view of the barrel. Fig. 2 shows a section through the playing mechanism. Fig. 3 is a front view showing the barrel partly removed from the driving roller. Fig. 4 shows a plan view of an interchanging device for the barrels.

The barrel B is in form of a cylindrical shell and can be made of sheet metal or similar material. Without having an individual axis of its own, the barrel is moved by being placed onto and moved along over the driving roller II so that the inside of the cylindrical shell rests on the driving roller. The actuation can be effected by the driving roller H which has teeth I which engage into corresponding holes in the barrel. The driven barrel can be either the inner or the outer barrel. To strengthen the cylinder B reinforcing rings K can be ap lied at the ends or in the interior of the barre If in the foregoing arrangement the cylindrical shell B is of slight thickness the entering ends C of the playing levers or keys D pass through the holes of the shell thus causing the hammers Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 19, 1908.

Patented May 11, 1909 Serial No. 439,412.

carried by arms E to strike the music stringi F. In order that they can enter deep enough the driving roller II is formed with rings. In this case the rings serve as a support 'for the shell while the interstices or depressions between the rings allow the lever ends C to engage into these depressions.

The em loyment of cylindrical shells B as barrels al ows barrels of greater circumference to be used without materially increasing the weight. Another advantage is that the actuating power which moves the barrels according to the present invention can be smaller than the one used in case of barrels which have their individual axis. In this case the driving point or leverage for the actuating ower is the small radius of the driving rol er while in the barrels now in use the radius of the barrel determines the length of the leverage to which the actuating power is applied.

Perforated barrels of the class used in this invention can be stored in a s )ace of small extent if barrels of diiferent diameters are slipped into one another.

In order to facilitate the interchange of the barrels a carrier is provided which can be swung out of the housing of the instrument.

The driving roller shaft A serves as a di rect carrier for the barrel B which latter rests on the driving roller H. According to the present invention one end of the shaft of the driving roller is mounted on a swinging arm M which can be made in form of a bracket and correspond to the length and weight of the barrels. To accommodate the driving shaft A it is sufficient to support its free end at the point N on the arm M. In consequence of the swinging movement the driving shaft A has to be made jointed or fieXible at point L and this joint is also in the line of the axis of rotation of the swinging arm M. The joint connection of the driving shaft A at L can be of any desired kind for example a driving stud or gearing or the like. The present arrangement allows the driving shaft with barrel to swing out of the housing of the instrument whereby the removal and replacement of the barrels can be effected in convenient way without liability of harming the mechanism of the musical instrument or the barrels.

I o1am:- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set A device of the character described commy hand in the presence of two subscribing prising a hollow stiff barrel and a, swingngly witnesses.

supported interior driving roller of smaller a PAUL LOCHMANN. 5 diameter than the barrel, said barrel being Witnesses:

eccentroally supported on the roller and ro- GUsTAV MLLER,

tated thereby; CHARLES NEUER. 

